Why do we kiss? Perhaps I have just answered thatâ¦ but I will offer also a recent exchange which throws further light on this. Someone asked me why we kiss icons â they apparently found this a bizarre practice. Since my wife was present and clearly enthusiastic to answer I deferred to her while she beautifully and patiently explained to the enquirer that we kiss other members of our family, parents kiss children, children kiss parents, siblings kissâ¦ and that in Church we are visibly surrounded by members of our spiritual family, our Church family, in the icons all around us on the walls, for this is what the saints are, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our Christian family so of course we kiss them. Itâs the most natural thing in the world to do. Itâs called love.